We’ve all been lost in a large hospital, airport, or government facility at some point. The maze of corridors, endless floors, and seemingly simple signs leading to dead ends are not only annoying but also stressful, especially when you’re rushing to an important meeting or doctor’s appointment.

A recent study published in the journal HERD sheds light on why this happens. Instead of just sitting in their offices, the researchers went “lost” in complex hospital complexes to learn where the system is failing. The main culprit in the confusion was the simplest navigational element—the arrow.
The main problem: the meaning of an arrow depends on its location, not its shape

We’re used to thinking that the “ → ” arrow always means “go right.” But the study shows that’s not the case. The meaning of an arrow changes dramatically depending on where it is placed. Its meaning depends on the objects surrounding it: doors, stairs, corridors and reception desks.

Scientists call this "indexality" - when the meaning of a sign is tied to a specific context. Simply put, people do not interpret the arrow in itself, but look for the answer to the question: "What does this arrow suggest I do in this particular place?".

Real-life example

Imagine: in a hospital, there is a sign "Cardiology ↑" hanging above the door. You think: "I need to go through this door." But the door is blocked. There are stairs nearby - you go there. On the stairs - a sign "No Trespassing". You are confused. It turns out that you should have gone down the right corridor, which is indicated by a completely different sign.

This is a classic example of how a misplaced arrow creates a chain reaction of errors.

How do people actually read signs?

Researchers have discovered a clear algorithm by which visitors act, without even realizing it:

  • Looking in the direction of the arrow. A person first looks where the arrow points.
  • Searching for an "opportunity". The gaze searches for the nearest object with which one can interact: a door, a corridor, an elevator, a staircase.
  • Making a decision. The brain automatically associates the arrow with this nearest object. If the arrow is above the door, it means "enter". If near the stairs, it means "go up/down".
  • Correction (or confusion). If the first assumption turns out to be wrong (the door is locked), a person begins to look for other options, feeling confused and irritated.
  • "The object closest to the arrow "wins" and determines its meaning for the visitor"

How to create understandable navigation: 6 simple recommendations

Based on these findings, researchers offer simple rules that will help avoid confusion. These tips will be useful for medical center managers, designers, office building managers - anyone responsible for orienting people.

1. Think like a visitor: walk the route yourself. The best way to test navigation is to get up from your desk and walk the route as if you were there for the first time. It was this approach that allowed researchers to identify all the weak points.

2. The arrow should point to something visible. Don't place a "turn right" arrow if there is no visible corridor or door around the turn. The pointer should refer to an object that the person sees at the moment of making the decision. Using arrows to indicate routes that are not yet visible is a bad idea.

3. The nearest object is your landmark. Before hanging a sign, look around. What will the arrow point to first? If there is both a corridor to the right next to the "🡲" arrow and a door a little to the right, the visitor is likely to choose the closest option. Make sure this is the right one.

4. Avoid ambiguity at all costs. Don’t place a single sign between two possible paths (e.g., between a staircase and a door) if it can be interpreted in two ways. It’s better to use two separate, clear signs than one general, confusing one.

5. Clarity is more important than blind consistency. Existing standards recommend placing signs in a consistent manner, such as at the same height. This is fine, but if in a particular location this placement creates confusion, it’s better to break the rule. A clear sign that is slightly out of the ordinary is much better than a beautiful one that doesn’t work.

6. Add text to the arrow. Research confirms that context is the main factor in correctly understanding an arrow. But in real space, context is often imperfect: multiple doors, complex architecture, poor lighting.

👉 Solution — add text:

Name of the place (for example: “Registration”, “Stairs”, “Elevator”, “Conference room”)

Explanation (“on the next floor”, “on the left after the turn”)

Pictograms — as visual accompaniment

Arrow + text → create an unambiguous, quick and intuitive understanding.


Direction indicators should be located within sight of each other and at a distance of no more than 50m to reassure the visitor when searching for the necessary office.

 

Conclusion

Orientation problems in complex buildings are not the visitors' fault. Most often, this is the result of a design that does not take into account how the human brain actually interprets space and symbols. This study proves that attention to the context and correct placement of even the simplest arrow can radically improve a person's experience, reduce his stress and make any space more friendly and understandable.

Source:

Rooke, C., Rooke, J., Tzortzopoulos, P. & Koskela, L. (2023)
Wayfinding in the Hospital Facilities Complex: indexicality of directional arrows
HERD Journal